2.4 Summary

In this chapter we show how a distributed ORDBMS, a kind of component DBMS, works. We begin by describing how a single-site ORDBMS functions and how it differs from RDBMSs. Then we explain how such a single-site ORDBMS system can be modified to allow it to participate in a distributed multisite system. The chief technical benefit of thisapproach is that the distributed ORDBMS provides a framework for the mobility of both data and programming logic. In economic terms, such a system provides a foundation for code reuse, scalability, and the flexibility that comes from combining these features in a dynamic SQL language environment.